The Truth Shall Set You Free
by Harrypottersmystry
Summary: What happens when Loki finds out his heritage earlier? The Avengers are assembled under different circumstances and aren't expected to win. Then help comes from an unlikely place. Jotunheim is not that far from Midgard after all; and Thanos was a threat to all. AU, Loki/Sigyn, violence, Spoilers for Thor:TDW, CA:WS, AoU. BAMF!Loki good!Loki Smart!Thor Annoying!Odin


**Disclaimer: I don't own the universe or its characters. Only the plot and Sigyn's personality belong to me.**

* * *

It was a horrible day. Rain was falling, feeling cold and slimy against Steve's sweat soaked skin. He shuddered, wrapping his arms around himself. He'd never liked rain.

Overhead, the red outline of Stark's suit could be seen, bright against the grey of the gloomy sky. The gold of the armour glinted in the dull light. He was fighting against the last alien-predator-thing left in the sky; it was falling, slowly but surely under the heat of billionaire's explosives. After a sickening crash a few blocks away, there was silence.

Steve shivered again and looked up to the sky, seeing the clouds melting away like a bad dream, letting through the weak rays of the sun. The white light shone down on the pavement in tiny spotlights and lit up the area around them. Corpses lay everywhere, even on the balcony of a small café. A few were human. Blood streamed out from under his and Romanoff's feet. It was the war all over again.

* * *

"What was that, sir?" Rogers was asking the Director, his rough voice filtering through the dim thoughts in Tony's head. A scan of his injuries by Jarvis revealed that the Captain was fine, if a little shaken and bruised by the encounter. He could see that Thor was holding his shoulder a little stiffly and that Barton was stemming a nosebleed. Romanoff was wrapping a bandage around her left wrist, pinning it with a tiny safety pin. She had probably sprained it by shooting at the aliens with those pretty guns of hers. Tony made a mental note to replace them with his own designs. His team needed _quality_ weapons if they were going to be the best.

Fury glared at Thor. "That's what _I'd_ like to know"

Thor stared calmly back at him. "I have not heard of such creatures, save in our most obscure myths and legends. They have come to Yggdrasil from another universe, not from a realm of our own"

"Your all-seeing _guardian_ didn't know?" Fury snarled out, his face pulled into a slight sneer. It was actually terrifying, though Tony would die before he admitted that. Thor's gaze hardened and he stood a little straighter. _Uh oh._

"Heimdall has not the power to see beyond our Realms," he said. "It is possible to cloak oneself from his sight, given the right power and skills"

Tony immediately decided to cloak himself and had Jarvis write down all possible ways he could try to with a click of his phone. Natalie or Natasha ( _whatever she was going by today_ ) spoke up, her free hand dusting off the mud on her suit. "So he _isn't_ all-seeing"

Thor inclined his head and said nothing. Mjolnir sparked slightly and Cap sent a nervous look at it. Tony couldn't blame him. The thing was volatile and as far as he was concerned, not possible. The mass of an object _could not_ change according to the person holding it. The fact that _Tony himself_ was one of those people who couldn't lift it was not lost by him.

"I want you to go back to your Realm and come back with some information," Fury was growling out. Maria Hill was standing there next to him, and Tony couldn't understand how she was so stoic. The man looked dangerous, and nuts.

"You are not my King," boomed out Thor then, voice echoing with power. His hammer crackled and Tony could _see_ the electric charge flash in the air. _This_ was the power of Thor. "You have no right to order me so. And yet" The charge in the room started lessening and everyone could see that Thor was visibly drawing it in. "I will find out from whence they came and perhaps bring some aid. You shall have to wait till tomorrow evening at the very least" And with a swirl of his cloak and a clink of metal armour, Thor was gone. Only the slightest prickle of electricity was left in his wake.

"Well then," said Tony, gazing at the closing door.

* * *

The winds of Jotunheim were cold but refreshing after the battle on Midgard. The evergreen shrubs of the realm surrounded him on all sides and Thor could feel the crunch of snow under his boots. His brother had made the land beautiful. Roads stretched out around the palace and temples, twisting around the many houses and towers before disappearing into the distance. Runes were carved into every door, protecting the inhabitants from bad weather, disease and robbery. Jotun people stared at him curiously as they went to work but no one cried out in alarm. They were used to him now after all.

Swallowing the knot of laughter that always bubbled up at the irony that he, _Thor_ , was now the midget of the land, he made his way towards the Pavilion at the front of the palace, where guests from other realms were greeted and offered food and rest. Not that Thor was a _guest_ but still.

Silver walls encrusted with expensive gems became visible after a few minutes, looming up in front of him like the steel skyscrapers of New York. It was one of the largest and most celebrated features of the land, famous for its sprawling grounds and exquisite cuisine. Diplomats and ambassadors of other lands were treated so warmly that Jotunheim had managed to create quite the reputation for goodwill and well-meaning hosts. It had wrenched more than a few treaties out of the other realms, including Asgard, which was what had cemented its prosperity. Loki, Helbindi and Sigyn were quite possibly the best and most cunning rulers Thor had ever met, apart from his father and the late king of Alfheim.

Thor ascended the steps, used to the feel of polished ice, and murmured a request to see the senior King. Loki would know what to do, and had probably already received the news of the invasion of their universe by Thanos. Thor knew who the creatures were quite well, having been educated in their history for years at Asgard. They were the Chitauri, blind and consumed with bloodlust and a need for destruction and submission to a force greater than themselves.

Mindless as they were, they were almost indestructible in their own universe, and had only been defeated by the Captain and his team because of the adverse reactions they had had to the conditions on Midgard. Thor was one of the most observant people you could meet and had noticed how the creatures had faltered at every passing minute in the dim sun and how they had flinched at the bright light of Stark's explosions and the reflection of fire in the metal of the Captain's shield. It was only due to the bleak weather that they had kept going as long as they had, and Thor had most definitely not forgotten how the clouds had cleared up after Stark destroyed the last one.

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of a green-clad figure, barely half the height of the Jotun guard behind him. Jewels glittered at his belt and in his crown. Loki's shrewd green eyes gazed at him from underneath dark brows and a heavy fringe of black hair. The man smiled at him, bringing back memories of sunlit fields and dusty libraries. Thor's face broke into a grin. A weight seemed to roll off his heart, and his shoulders, stiff and aching, finally slumped in exhaustion and relief at the promise of safety.

Loki's smile faded and he quickly stepped forward to grasp his brother's forearms, feeling Thor's weight shift onto him. Turning back, he snapped out a few orders in the Jotun tongue to the guard behind him, requesting food, a healer and new clothes for him. He slipped his arm under one of Thor's shoulders and supporting most of his weight, led him to one of the couches decorating the large room. His appearance had shifted to that of the Aesir when he had touched Thor, but he barely noticed the reappearance of pale skin due to his growing concern for him.

A maid arrived with a tray of food and fresh water, casting a worried glance at the Asgardian prince. In a quiet voice, she asked Loki if he needed anything else. Loki smiled appreciatively at the young Jotun maiden, and murmured a short message for her to deliver to his queen. She bowed and left the room. Thor sat down heavily on the couch and leaned back, Mjolnir slipping from his fingers to rest on the marble floor. Loki watched with growing unease as his brother bit into an apple and munched as though he'd starved for a week.

"What happened on Midgard?" he demanded at last, after Thor had been treated by the royal healer and was refreshed after food and rest. Thor looked at him, and the lines of his face suddenly became those of worry instead of laughter. He took a moment to gather his thoughts and when he spoke, his voice was deep and grave. "I was in a battle in New York. Thanos is back"

Loki's eyes widened. "Thanos attacked _Midgard_? But why? How are you still alive?"

Somewhat disturbed by his brother's lack of faith in him, he replied, "Thanos did not attack Midgard. His followers did. The Chitauri" He could practically see the wheels in Loki's head turning.

"But why?" said Loki again. "What is _there_ on Midgard that they want so badly?"

"The Tesseract?" suggested Thor. "The Midgardians discovered it in the ocean about half a century ago"

"I was wondering when they would find it," Loki replied under his breath. He paused for a moment. "But why attack now rather than earlier, back when the Midgardians were far behind in technology and were ripping each other apart in war? Why send the _Chitauri_ who are unintelligent, and sensitive to heat and light? And why land in _New York_ of all places?"

Hearing all of his own questions out loud made something click in Thor's head. "Maybe they wanted to distract us from something else. Has anything happened in the other eight Realms since I left?"

Realization struck Loki hard, like Mjolnir breaking through a brick wall. "Thanos sent the Dark Elves to Muspelheim"

Thor stared at him in shock. "What?"

"You heard me," Loki said, leaning back in his seat and playing with the hilt of his dagger. "Malekith and his horde were released from the trap they were placed in by Bor, and launched an attack this morning on Muspelheim, which as you know, lies under Jotunheim's protection. Mother foresaw it; she had a message delivered to me in minutes"

With growing horror, Thor asked, "What happened?"

"Malekith was slain by Helbindi after his interrogation; the other Elves were driven into the burning volcanoes and were instantly killed. All but a few of our number survived. The dead men will be given their farewell tonight, and their families shall be compensated"

"Everything seems so normal here, brother," said Thor, a question clear in his words. "I can scarcely believe it happened"

"It happened alright," said Loki, drily, stretching out his long legs. "Their families are in mourning, but the rest of Jotunheim is preparing to celebrate tomorrow after the funerals. Those you saw were almost definitely going to the markets to prepare for the feasts"

"But you mentioned that Malekith was interrogated before his death, brother. What did he say?"

"Nothing much. There was the usual villainous monologue, and a lot of screams, but the only thing worth mentioning is that they were after the Soul Gem, the Stone that controls the birth and rebirth of every soul in this universe. It is obvious that Thanos desires the Stones to control and ultimately destroy the very essence of Yggdrasil; he will do anything and everything possible to please his Lady Death"

Thor looked incredulous. "Death is but a natural state of being; a lack of life. It is not an actual being with a mind and emotions; it is but the shutdown of our bodies and systems when our spirits can no longer be carried by them. It simply _happens_ "

"Ah," said Loki, softly. "You understand what Thanos never could; that Death is a part of life, not something that controls life and death and longs for the destruction of all living things, but an event that releases a soul from its body at the end of each lifetime. He has a warped sense of reality; he believes that Death is a Lady, who will only be pleased if he sacrifices the lives of a whole universe, that only then she will be willing to court him"

"What the hell?" exclaimed Thor, leaping up from his seat. "That's, that's…" The sheer wrongness of the idea made his words stick in his throat and forced him to sit down again. Loki looked simultaneously amused and empathetic.

"I know," he said with a comforting pat. "That's what I thought"

"So, what next then?" Thor said at last. "I came here to request aid, brother; the Midgardians are frightfully ill-equipped to deal with this threat. The Allfather will not act till it's too late… I don't know who else to go to now"

Loki was silent. "Why do you want to save that realm Thor?" he asked, hands clasped in his lap. "I know you have a fascination for that place but still…"

"I know you feel it too brother! Don't deny it. You _know_ that if a realm and its people were in real trouble, you would take your troops to save them regardless of your personal feelings towards them. Because it's the _right_ thing to do"

Loki stared back at him, and for a minute, no one moved. Thor could hear the wind rushing past the windows and the tinkle of cutlery in the next room. Loki's staff sat next to its owner, shivering with seeming excitement. Loki sucked in a breath.

"When did you say you were coming back?" he asked, and Thor was surprised at the level of emotion in his voice. "Tomorrow evening," he said, watching his brother nod and spring up from his chair without warning.

"I shall come with you," he announced, and Thor felt a thrill of shock and pleasant surprise streak through him. He gazed gratefully at his brother. "Thank you," he said, overwhelmed by his feelings. "Thank you"

Loki simply looked at him, and shook his head. "Don't thank me," he murmured. "It is my duty as your brother and an inhabitant of one of these realms to do all I can to thwart Thanos. You know I would have done this eventually even without your requesting me. I shall tell Sigyn, and together we three will depart tomorrow morning after I have attended my men's funerals and arranged for Helbindi to take over our duties"

"You would do this?" asked Thor, still unable to properly grasp Loki's words. "You would leave your kingdom for this? Is that not dangerous?"

"Remember Thor, that I am the Guardian of this universe and not truly Jotunheim's ruler. Helbindi shall not have much to take over. It is my job to watch over and notify him of what takes place in and around the realms, which I can do without actually being here. And if Midgard is attacked, take note that either Asgard or Jotunheim will be next. As a Guardian, it is also my job to do whatever it takes to prevent Jotunheim being attacked in any way, and as the Allmother's son, it is my duty to save her realm regardless of my feelings towards her husband"

With a gesture of his hands, the staff flew into his hands and Thor saw in front of him not only his brother, but a son of Frigga and the Guardian of Jotunheim. He wondered once again how Odin could have missed seeing this in Loki. It was obvious from the start.

"Come," said Loki now, and moved towards the door.

* * *

Chaos had taken over the SHIELD headquarters. Fury was in a temper and kept yelling at everyone he met. He was truly living up to his name, thought Barton snarkily.

He thought of his wife back home in the middle of nowhere, taking care of his kids and taking his son to school all by herself. He ought to be there with her, helping her raise Cooper and Lila to be smart, kind-hearted, brilliant people. Instead he was here, fighting for their lives and New York's lives and hoping against hope that he would be home in time for her birthday.

As he stabbed a plastic fork into his crappy carrot sticks, Natasha came by and sat down next to him. "Don't be so hard on yourself Hawkeye," she said to him, stealing his chicken drumstick and biting into it without any shame. She looked him in the eye as she chewed. "Laura would be pissed"

And Clint laughed, half in shame and half in relief that the Russian had pulled him out of his depression. Suddenly he realized what she was eating and both of them froze, staring at the bare bone dumbly. Then Natasha threw the bone in his face and rushed away, ignoring his shouts and curses.

'Natalie _Rushman_ indeed,' thought Barton bleakly, imagining his wife cuffing him for the bad pun.

* * *

That night, as Tony lay beside Pepper and watched the bright lights of New York through his one-way window, he thought about what he knew and more importantly, what he _didn't_ know. Thor had said that he would be back by the next evening, but would he? Would he really? Tony couldn't remember the last time anyone did anything out of the pure goodness of their heart. What did the aliens have to gain from saving their pathetic planet?

And yet if they didn't, they would all die. Everything would be gone. No more waking up to Pepper's soft snores. No more blueberry muffins and burning hot espressos. The only sounds outside would be the howling of the wind and the cries of dying children. In short, everything Tony had worked tirelessly against happening and yet still had to put up with because of terrorists and things called schedules, only it would be much, much worse.

They needed the aliens' help, freely given or not, because even those who had accomplished the impossible had finally given up.

* * *

Steve stared at the photos again, the lines between the past and reality beginning to blur. He couldn't let go. He couldn't move on. He didn't know how to. He spent every lonely moment with the ghosts of Peggy Carter and Bucky Barnes calling him back home, their voices echoing down the streets of old Brooklyn, the Brooklyn _he_ knew. A distant memory of his mother's lovely voice and her ragged clothes dogged his every step, telling him he _must_ work harder, give Mom the white roses and the funeral she deserved. He needed to _prove_ his worth; he needed to jump on a grenade.

A dance lesson was all he wanted now, despite his refusal to take SHIELD's offer of a tutor. He wanted to go back to that 40s club in his military uniform and see Peggy dancing there, her red lips and dress as alluring as her dark curls and strange accent. He wanted one more moment to just stand back and let her kiss him the way she promised to. Why shouldn't he?

It was what he deserved. He'd saved America; and gotten SHIELD breathing down his neck in return. What was wrong with the world? What was wrong with _him_?

His father, a man he'd idolized all his life, would've told him to deal. _It's gonna take a while, people lie, the world isn't what it used to be. You gotta wait it out and when you're done putting up with God's plan for you, a gift will fly out from nowhere and hit you in the face like it'd been there all along. You can do it, Steve. You're my son._

 _Make me proud_ , came his mother's voice again, now filled with love and encouragement. Steve looked up, seeing the white wall filled with the dark shape of his own shadow. _We might just need a little old-fashioned_. For the first time, he considered Coulson's words from before the battle.

His team was not really a team, he realised. He'd antagonized Tony the minute he'd arrived, and Barton and Romanoff weren't actually part of the plan. They had just gotten dragged in because they were the smartest and most trusted agents at hand. Bruce Banner hadn't even arrived yet. Thor was from _outer space_. Steve was neither foolish nor idealistic enough to believe this would eventually work out on its own. They'd have to actually make an effort to get along, work together without criticizing every difference between each other. If they did not, they might as well leave the world to burn. The fate of the world depended on the decisions of a mismatched bunch of psychologically damaged and emotionally stunted people.

It was a sobering thought. The bright sun broke out from behind a cluster of buildings, announcing the start of a new day. And for yet another time in his life, Steve had no idea if he'd live to see it set.

* * *

All was silent in Fury's office that afternoon. Barton and Romanoff had made subtle threats of leaking information if they were not included in the meeting. They stood in the corner now, dark expressions on their faces and a distinct glint in their eyes. Hawkeye's bow was strung with an arrow. They looked extremely threatening.

Steve Rogers stood near the back, his neat 40s hair contrasting with his modern clothes. He and Stark were the only ones wearing normal clothes. Tony was unusually silent; he had a lot on his mind. But then again, so did all of them.

Fury shot another anxious look at the door, not bothering to hide his tension. It seemed he was beginning to regret his words to Thor, because who knew what sort of 'aid' he might bring with him? Who knew if the god would even return?

Their thoughts and doubts were all cast out of the window when a distant rumble of thunder was heard. They immediately went on high alert, guns drawn, shackles raised. A streak of lightning cut across the blue sky, destroying the careers of several meteorologists. A gentle breeze began to blow, somehow raising the hopes of many civilians in the city.

An intercom suddenly crackled and came to life with a low hum of static. The agent's voice was full of confusion and awe. "Director, Thor has returned with two unknown people, a man and a woman. They seem to be husband and wife. Should I activate the security protocols?"

"Activate them," said Fury immediately, his tone suddenly tight and business-like. "I want every camera available scanning them and I want to know every time they _breathe_ , you copy?"

"Yessir" came the eager reply, and the call was cut. Tony could not quite hide his expression of disgust.

"I want you two," said Fury, looking at the two spies, "to be on the alert. I'm taking no chances with these aliens. You keep your guns cocked, you hear me?" Upon receiving a nonverbal nod, he turned away to face the door. There wasn't an eye not focused on the shiny bulletproof metal. A strange mix of nervousness and excitement filled them all, the kind of feeling a young singer feels before their first big concert. No one noticed the screen of Fury's computer fill with an image of a dark-haired young man and an equally young, otherworldly-looking woman.

It felt like an eternity before the sound of voices filled the air. Thor's was the most obvious, happy and loud, with a distinct note of laughter under his words. There were two unfamiliar sounds; a man's quietly confident voice filled with the dry humour that was making his companions laugh and a woman's more high-pitched, chime-like laughter. The latter brought to mind pictures of yellow flowers and crystal clear streams bubbling through deep green forests. They got the strange feeling that they'd missed something, and it was too late to get it back. And then all too soon, the noise stopped and they were standing once more in Fury's office, waiting for the door to open.

There was a knock on the door and upon hearing a strangled-sounding 'come in!' from Fury, Thor stepped into the room. Behind him, Tony got his first glimpse of the most beautiful people he'd seen in his life. The man was tall and strong; the woman willowy and graceful. If the Elves of the Middle-Earth were real, they would look like them.

Thor stepped to the side to let them in, and instantly, all their defenses dropped. The man had a genuinely curious and wondering look on his face; his green eyes darted around the room in seconds, taking in the tech and the furniture as though he'd never seen anything like them before. His gaze dropped down on him, and Tony instantly felt his eyes travel down to the circle of light in his chest. With only a raised eyebrow as a reaction, the man moved onto Natasha, taking note of her gun and hard eyes. Tony felt strangely relieved.

The woman on the other hand stepped to the front of the room, radiating both authority and charm. Her lips were turned up in a polite smile and the intrigue in her eyes was unmistakable. She was lovely to look at, with her rosy cheeks and amber eyes. But Tony did not miss her pointed ears or the regal way she held her body. Her girdle extenuated her waist and made her hips look wider. The gown she wore was white and intricately embroidered with gold and silver at the sleeves and with red and green at the hem. The jewels at her throat and in her braided white hair matched those at the belt and dagger of her husband. She opened her mouth and when she spoke, Tony was reminded of glittering thrones and open, sunlit halls. Her voice was rich and soothing.

"I am Sigyn, Queen of Vanaheim, Thor's sister-in-law. You requested aid, and I have come on behalf of my Realm and out of duty towards Thor as his kin"

She held out her hand at the end of her simple speech. Fury stared at it dumbly and hastily took it after a warning hiss from Thor. Sigyn looked amused and drew back to let her husband through. Tony suddenly realised that if the man was her husband and she was Thor's sister-in-law… he was Thor's brother. He couldn't quite hide his incredulity. The two looked nothing alike!

Meanwhile, the man had already made his way to where his wife was standing earlier and dropped into a respectful bow. Straightening up, he said, "I am Loki, Guardian of Yggdrasil and King of Jotunheim, brother of Thor and former prince of Asgard. My presence here is out of duty as an inhabitant of these Nine Realms, as a Guardian of the universe and also out of love and respect for my brother, whose judgment is rarely flawed. I hope" his eyes suddenly grew sharper, "that you will not take our help for granted"

It was only at this point that Tony realised Loki was holding a scepter. It crackled with energy like Mjolnir, but unlike Thor's hammer, it seemed more delicate and finely crafted. However, Tony had no doubt that it was no less dangerous than the hammer.

Fury had stood through Loki's speech with the air of a student listening to a boring lecturer. "Well that depends," he said in response to Loki's last words. "Exactly how much can you help us, how and why do we need it in the first place?"

"Believe me," said Loki, eyes glinting strangely in the light of scepter. "You'll need it"

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Hopefully you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please look forward to the next update.**


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